Gratuitous Chicken Post

I got up nice and early today, to attempt a bike ride with the dog.  I got dressed and ready and then went to get my bike out of the shed and only then noticed it was pouring with rain!  What a fool, I coulda, shoulda, woulda stayed in bed with my book!  Make note to self:  Checka da Wevver before getting dressed!
       It has been a while since I have mentioned these girls.  All is well in the coop.  I appear to have four healthy hens.  In spite of the weather they are still happy and bursting to come out to play rain or shine or frost or fog.  Their half of the garden in looking far from pretty.  It is wet and muddy with not much grass and plenty of puddles.  I am beginning to worry that it won't come back in the Spring.  These girls positively 'bowl' out of their coop in the mornings.  They were hungry girls this morning.

Poppy, Daisy and Rose were all tucking in and poor old Lavender could not squeeze in...to her dismay.  She had a right little panic.

That is better, I don't have to worry about Lavender, she somehow sorts things out and end up at the front or in the middle of everything.  This girl is certainly not backward in coming forward.  I am getting three lovely eggs a day again for the moment.  I do have to work for the 3rd though as someone has taken to laying in a very awkward spot of the garden right behind a large tree.  I nearly fall over each time I crawl for this egg.  There is a hidden little nest.  Somebody prefers peace and quiet.  I am trying to get the fourth egg by addressing the diet of these girls.  Less Kitchen scraps and top quality 'Organic' layers pellets.  Even their corn in take has been reduced.  They also have Oyster shell available at all times for Calcium.  Calcium is needed for egg production and to produce eggs the calcium is leeched from the Chicken's bones rather than obtained directly from their food.  It is important to make sure they have calcium.  I also save all the eggs shell and bake them to kill bugs then grind them and scatter them as a food supplement.  Chickens need shell and grit to break down food in their gizzard.  As we know Hens to not have teeth!
    I am very tempted to make a Christmas Treat for them, especially after I saw this:  Scratch and Nut Edible Wreath.

Isn't it beautiful.  I am sure it would not last long.  I could almost be tempted to have a little pick at it myself!
XXX